Writer Kate Figes asks why it took something so drastic for her to invest in her own self-care – and how now she’s done it there’s no going back
Devastating diagnosis
We would have years ahead of us to have fun and be selfish. Or so I thought. And then came the diagnosis. I had regular mammograms and had mentioned to two separate GPs that there was an itchiness in my left breast. When the aching in my ribs developed into sharp pains, tests revealed I had three fractured ribs and numerous lytic lesions all over my spine and ribcage – triple negative breast cancer, which had metastasised. Devastating news, which sprang without warning. No lumps. No noticeable changes. Just this itching. Now with an “advanced and aggressive” cancer, the future I had imagined we might have was suddenly whisked away.
Within days of the diagnosis I couldn’t stand for longer than two minutes or walk because of the pain. When the chemo started, it felt as if I had been run over by a train and infected with typhoid at the same time. I remember thinking that if this was what life was going to be like, then just kill me now. All of my anxieties about my daughters, now struggling with life in their early twenties, or what we might eat for supper, faded away.
Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av Woman & Home.
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Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av Woman & Home.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Sporting SENSATIONS
Olympian Tessa Sanderson CBE reflects on winning gold and shines a spotlight on some of Team GB's outstanding women
The ROYAL REPORT
One of the many privileges of working alongside the royal family is to see them up close and unvarnished.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF Dame Denise Lewis
The Olympian and BBC pundit, 51, lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband Steve. She has four children.
BRIGHT & breezy
Diana and Andy Irving set out to recreate American East Coast living at their Merseyside home, with spectacular results
Why a slim body MIGHT NOT BE A HEALTHY ONE
This month, our expert Annie Deadman reveals why eating well is essential, no matter what size your clothing labels say
My mother's GIFTS
When Genevieve Kingston's mother learnt she was dying, she found a poignant way to mark her children's milestones
IT'S GOOD to talk
The last six months have seen unprecedented candour from the Royal Family. Emily Andrews asks, is this the end for 'never complain, never explain'?
Sultry southern CHARM
Stretched along Italy's heel, Puglia offers a slice of the Italian good life, with peaceful hotels, indulgent meals and low-key glamour, says Lucy Thackray
FRUITY PUDDINGS
Easy crowd-pleasing desserts that can be made ahead of time
Are weddings OUT OF CONTROL?
You can’t put a price on love, but marriages these days can be eye-wateringly costly, as Christabel Smith discovers